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The Book of Enoch · 65 of 109

Chapter LXV. Enoch Foretells the Deluge to Noah

1.And in those days Noah saw the earth that it had sunk down and its destruction was nigh.

2.And he arose from thence and went to the ends of the earth, and cried aloud to his grandfather Enoch: and Noah said three times with an embittered voice: Hear me, hear me, hear me.’

3.And I said unto him: ‘Tell me what it is that is falling out on the earth that the earth is in such evil plight and shaken, lest perchance I shall perish with it?’

4.And thereupon there was a great commotion, on the earth, and a voice was heard from heaven, and I fell on my face.

5.And Enoch my grandfather came and stood by me, and said unto me: ‘Why hast thou cried unto me with a bitter cry and weeping?

6.And a command has gone forth from the presence of the Lord concerning those who dwell on the earth that their ruin is accomplished because they have learnt all the secrets of the angels, and all the violence of the Satans, and all their powers—the most secret ones—and all the power of those who practice sorcery, and the power of witchcraft, and the power of those who make molten images for the whole earth: 7. And how silver is produced from the dust of the earth, and how soft metal originates in the earth.

8.For lead and tin are not produced from the earth like the first: it is a fountain that produces them, and an angel stands therein, and that angel is pre-eminent.’

9.And after that my grandfather Enoch took hold of me by my hand and raised me up, and said unto me: ‘Go, for I have asked the Lord of Spirits as touching this commotion on the earth.

10.And He said unto me: “Because of their unrighteousness their judgement has been determined upon and shall not be withheld by Me for ever. Because of the sorceries which they have searched out and learnt, the earth and those who dwell upon it shall be destroyed.”

11.And these—they have no place of repentance for ever, because they have shown them what was hidden, and they are the damned: but as for thee, my son, the Lord of Spirits knows that thou art pure, and guiltless of this reproach concerning the secrets.

12.And He has destined thy name to be among the holy,

And will preserve thee amongst those who dwell on the earth,

And has destined thy righteous seed both for kingship and for great honours,

And from thy seed shall proceed a fountain of the righteous and holy without number for ever.

Asked of Guide

Why does Enoch say the earth will be destroyed because people learned angels' secrets?

Enoch explains that the people’s mastery of forbidden arts—“all the secrets of the angels,” “the power of those who practice sorcery”—has provoked a divine decree. Their uncovering of hidden knowledge and manufacture of sorcery and molten images shows moral rupture that, according to Enoch, triggers a decided judgement: “their ruin is accomplished.”

Enoch contrasts Noah’s innocence and promises preservation: the Lord of Spirits “knows that thou art pure” and will keep Noah’s line for “kingship and…great honours.” This chapter echoes Genesis’ flood account and themes in Jubilees about knowledge and transgression, where illicit revelation brings cosmic punishment.

Guide is the guide inside the Gnosis app, where every book on these shelves is free to read. Guide is the part you pay for — your guide has read all of them, and answers about the passage you’re actually on. Ask your guide your own question.